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If you have the time and inclination to do so @Lynick4442 that’s fine.
But if I received an initial message from a guest like that and they didn’t respond to my follow up messages to confirm the check in was post 2, I would definitely decline a request, rather than accept it and worry that the guest would turn up four hours ahead of my check in time, while I still had other guests in the house.
Ah, it’s under the “Basic requirements”, not SH section. My bad. 
I just used Airbnb as a guest and I can confirm that it’s not always so simple. My host told me she emailed check in instructions but I never saw them or got them. I felt fairly confident that I had the code and I’d figure out everything else and I did.
I’m definitely in the group that thinks people who use the platform as a guest make better hosts.
That’s their prerogative, and it is not you place to comment on their activities for their space. You kinda did jump down their throat.
I’m with you @KKC . I think having at least a dozen nights as a guest in at least 4 different listings should be MANDATORY to become a Host.
Not practical of course. But what would be interesting would be a better integration of a host’s entire profile on Airbnb. Perhaps if they ever get around to that “superguest” thing they’ve said they are working on and we get a superguest and superhost badges one on each side of our profile pics.
Obscuring our photos entirely! So we are on an even footing with the no-photos thing. Perfect! 
I seen lots of hosts with no picture so I’m fine with that.
Yes, I love the idea. Picturing the complaints: “Her photo is of two badges! Should I cancel her booking?”
I think I will do this also
I did accept and I haven’t sent check in details. Agree 100 percent. I refuse to let guests walk all over me like I use to. And I won’t be held ransom to metrics or reviews.
No offence taken btw 
It works out well for me. Guests asks for early check-in, I say sure, $25, they change their mind. Guest asks to leave bags early, I say, $7, often they accept.
I just checked an on a couple of my cottages, I have 0% accepted…of course it would be zero because I’m only open about 3 months a year and have 90% repeat customers from other sources so when I don’t have ANY openings that met inquiry/request, it’s kind of hard to have accepted bookings here!
Some of us rely on Air to fill gaps left by other sources and when people keep asking for weeks/dates that simply aren’t available, I sure hope that I won’t get booted off just because i have a pre-existing successful business?
And comments on this aspect @TheInsider?
The last low score review from someone I let Check in early and out late was the straw that broke the camels back for me.
is it possible to sync your pre-existing business with Air calendar so dates are automatically blocked once a reservation on the supported sync platforms is booked that way you aren’t denying request to books that are simply not possible? If not, you may not get booted off but of course SH status will not be possible and you may get a “questionable host” flag but that doesn’t mean much of anything unless you start getting negative reviews and guest complaints in addition.
I will NEVER obtain SH status and that’s perfectly fine with me! And with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions, I think any non-5 star ratings are due to guests not realizing the slightly odd way that Air looks at ratings and reserving 5’s for Wyndham type resorts, etc.
Lately, the requests I have gotten have been for 5 nights or 8-10 nights and/or NOT on my fixed mandatory 7 night Fri-Fri sched that I have for most all of my 13 week season. I don’t recall there being a way I can set a 7 night Fri requirement for Jun-Aug but have a 5 night min for Sep which is the ONLY time I will accept it and even then, only if I have no other options in guests.
I DO try and keep my calendars updated with my OFF-line bookings (no automated calendar, just notes on a white board!) but as i think i said before, I WISH there was a third status option so I could flag a week as “Pending” so that it’s not marked as open to anyone but not fully blocked either as a non-Air booking is in the works but not completed so that it MAY be ‘in play’.
I have five units listed and 4 of 5 will only have at most 2 weeks of the 13 open for newbies/Air but typically only 1 week. The last unit has had occasionally up to 4 of the 13 open but that’s rare. So my potential bookings here are SO limited that finding a match is a challenge and that’s why my acceptance rate is minimal.
Thanks for your response, BTW!
“No good deed goes unpunished”
P.S. I have LITERALLY told guests this. “I know this is going to sound strange, because I try to be helpful and care for the traveler in a strange place, but paradoxically, guests seem to HATE it when you let them check in early and they punish you in the review. I know this sounds crazy, but I don’t allow free, early check-ins because IT HURTS ME and weirdly GUESTS seem to hate you for it. I cannot explain this but see it all the time.”
Workaround:
ACCEPT their request (which must be for incorrect dates that ARE open on your calendar, right?) and state:
“I am accepting your INQUIRY [or sending you a special offer] in keeping with AirBNB’s metrics to evaluate us hosts, but please don’t book unless you really wish to visit on dates open on my calendar.”
In other words – make it LOOK (at Air’s end) like you are accepting everyone.
OR try to sell your open weeks to guests who inquire. Or offer them the random 4 days they want at full price. Keep the ball rolling with creative offers that benefit you and your setup – note to guests this is a rare opportunity for your seasonal listing.
OH WAIT: This assumes that you are syncing your calendars or manually blocking off the Air dates that aren’t available as TheInsider notes. I read now that you are doing manual updates.
What a strange viewpoint.
We don’t advertise either a free or paid early check in, but if we can offer it we do. At the end of the day you’re in a service industry, and if it’s possible to let a guest check in or out either a bit earlier or a bit later then why not?
It’s not often we’re in a position to do it when asked, but the times we have done it the guests have been grateful and their reviews have reflected that.
If, by allowing guests a bit of latitude regarding check in times when it’s possible “hurts” you, then I’d suggest that real reason why the guests “hate” you lies elsewhere.
JF